Many heterosexual Christians are in danger of going to hell! The frightening part of this reality is that they know that condemnation awaits. These Christians are fully aware that they have dug their own eternal grave with their tongue, and yet they continue to heap more and more judgment on their heads. Why you ask would a God-fearing Bible standard bearing Christian purposefully condemn himself to hell? More importantly, what in the world are they doing that will force God to punish them with the very fate they fight everyday to avoid?

First let’s start with some basic arguments. Homosexuality is a sin and an unnatural act that offends God. Religious leaders and lay people throughout the ages have advanced this interpretation of the Christian Bible based on six or seven verses, out of more than 1 million (I can only speak about Christianity in this example). Christians further argue that homosexuality is a choice and that homosexuals are purposefully and flagrantly flaunting God’s will and purpose for humanity. After all, we all sin, but those homosexuals are worse because they sin on purpose, while the rest of us just fall victim to our sinful nature. This is an important component of the Christian argument condemning homosexuality because it establishes that homosexuality is both unnatural and a conscious choice to disobey God; further explanation on the seriousness of Biblical disobedience in the world of Christianity not required. But is it that simple?

The next argument from Christians is like the first one; homosexuals, because of their perversion and active disobedience, threaten God’s plan for the family and good old wholesome living, and they supply us with a healthy dose of Hebes and more Jebes than I care to count. Hebe Jebes notwithstanding, God’s plan being terrorized by sinful sexual deviants is no laughing matter in Christian circles. And of course Christians will protect the family at all costs; after all, God set this unit up as His closest replication of the Holy Trinity and His relation to His creation. So Christians must actively and passionately organize a counterattack against the enemies of God. And at the very minimum they must take a stand for Jesus and shout to the heavens that homosexuals are committing sin and must repent lest the favor of God pass all of us over and homosexuals be cast into the eternal fire. Still I ask, is it that simple?

Take a second and answer this question please, what is the scariest verse in the Bible? I wish I could make you pause for a minute and think but you’re probably still reading aren’t you? I bet you haven’t even thought of a verse. STOP READING for one second and pick what you think is the scariest verse in the Bible.

I’ll tell you what I think, after one more minute of searching for you (You should know that I waited for one minute before continuing to write). Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Do not Judge, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” There are many different interpretations of this oft quoted verse, but let me explain why I believe it is so dangerous for Christians who engage in “judging sin” and homosexual behavior. Let me explain why homosexual condemning Christians are dooming themselves to hell for committing the grave sin of being HETEROSEXUAL. That’s right. Not a typo!

This verse isn’t saying (as it is most often misunderstood) that people shouldn’t make “anakrinō” judgments which deal with discerning whether something is good for you to engage in or not, an act we all must and do perform every day. This verse speaks to “krinō” judgments of right and wrong as a judge does from the bench; a judge with the authority to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong, thus legally taking action against the judged. Put it another way, Matthew 7:1-2 tells Christians to avoid judging whether someone else’s actions are eternally right or wrong, and if wrong, decreeing eternal punishment. When we read on, we find further support for this interpretation in verses 3-5 (I’ll write an entire post about these two verses next week, you won’t want to miss it). The Bible reads that this sort of judgment awaits us in the same way we use it against those we krinō. How does this apply to sexuality and sexual orientation, specifically to homosexual condemnation? I’m glad you asked.

First let’s start with a basic argument. Homosexuality isn’t a choice. Without repeating the words of the many social scientists and medical professionals who support the fact that sexual orientation isn’t a choice, I will ask this question to all of the heterosexual readers today, at what age did you decide to become a heterosexual? When did you consciously choose your attraction to someone of the opposite sex? I am a heterosexual man who fell deeply in love with my wife, and before meeting her I enjoyed a long history of female relationships wherein I never once had to anakrinō my heterosexuality. I think men are great and being one makes me so very happy, but I don’t want to marry one or share my life with one, or engage in any of the intimate (both sexual and non-sexual) activities my wife and I enjoy. If I didn’t make the choice, and you didn’t make the choice, why were homosexuals cursed with this sexual ambiguity that could be swayed by watching Sofia Vergara on Modern Family or a George Clooney photo spread? Even then, the science would tell us that it’s not that simple.

Now we arrive at the main theory that I stated in the beginning; many heterosexual Christians are in danger of going to hell? Why? Ask Matthew 7:1-2. Let’s assume for one second that homosexuality isn’t a choice but instead is a natural and critical component of one’s identity. That would mean that someone who is homosexual is making a natural choice to love someone of the same-sex, much like a heterosexual does when he falls in love with someone of the opposite sex. Given that as the reality then it becomes clear why Matthew 7:1-2 should make homophobic Christians very nervous. If they are condemning a homosexual for loving in a way that comes natural to them, then God may use the same measure against them and condemn them for loving naturally. Unnerving isn’t it? The Bible reads that by krinō’-sing someone else’s natural choice of love as being unnatural, unholy, and un-insert holy phrase here, you actively condemn your same natural choice, turning what was once something you were never in danger of being judged for into a future millstone around your neck. Unfortunately, this one is that simple.

So the moral of the story is this, stop krinō-sing homosexuals and you just may avoid hell for being an ungodly heterosexual! This principle applies to every act of krinō, so stop it all together. The irony of this theory is obvious, the poetic justice even more so, but the tragedy of the repeated condemnation of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered brothers and sister is a sin of biblical proportion. If that’s not enough, think on this; whether homosexuality is right or wrong in God’s mind, we don’t know how he truly feels about those who are homosexual (because no one can claim to know God’s mind) or what He will ultimately choose to do. There is no need to pre-screen candidates for heaven, God is the ultimate judge and what He decides to do is what He will do. In the meantime, the Bible does tell Christians to love their neighbors like they love themselves. I for one see no problem, Biblical or otherwise with homosexuality. But then again, I like when George Clooney is on the cover of a magazine. For a guy, he’s not that bad looking…Uh-Oh!